Fighting an “outsider” tag, Congress’ Gurgaon Lok Sabha candidate and actor-turned-politician Raj Babbar on Friday said he had spent his childhood in Gurgaon and attacked the Bharatiya Janata Pary saying the party leaders seemed to have lost it in the face of a certain defeat.
“Mein Bahari nahi hoon, balki virodhiya per bhari padne wala hun (I am not an outsider, but will overwhelm my opponents)”, said Mr. Babbar, addressing a rally after he filed his nominations in the afternoon accompanied by former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and party’s State president Uday Bhan, among others.
All-India Congress Committee OBC cell chairperson Capt. Ajay Yadav, who was also in the race for Gurgaon Lok Sabha seat ticket, stayed away nomination and the rally. He had earlier expressed his displeasure over denial of ticket and said there was a “deep-rooted conspiracy” by state leaders to crush senior leaders of the party. Capt. Yadav had lost Gurgaon Lok Sabha election to Bharatiya Janata Party’s Rao Inderjit by a margin of over three lakh votes in 2019. Capt. Yadav’s son and Rewari MLA Chiranjeev Rao too was conspicuous by his absence. Local Congress sources claimed that he was not invited.
In a counter attack on those labelling him an “outsider”, Mr. Babbar, a former Rajya Sabha MP, said the outsiders were those who never stepped outside their homes to take care of the people’s needs, adding that it was time for the farewell of such leaders. The 71-year-old leader said this time around Congress would offer guarantee for the security of the traders, Minimum Support Price to farmers, jobs to the youth and 50% reservation to women in jobs.
Mr. Hooda said the criminals were roaming around freely without fear of law committing crime in the state and the people of Gurugram had borne the brunt of it. He said the Congress party on formation of its government would act against the criminals with an iron hand and bring peace and prosperity to the area.
